In Week 2, Cooper Kupp suffered an ankle injury during the Los Angeles Rams‘ 41-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. After the game, he was seen wearing a walking boot on his left foot, and he was sidelined for Week 3.
What’s the latest on Kupp’s health, and is there a chance that he suits up in Week 4?
What’s the Latest on Cooper Kupp’s Injury?
No, Kupp won’t be playing in the Rams’ Week 4 contest against the Chicago Bears. On Monday, Rams head coach Sean McVay told reporters that Kupp would be out for Sunday’s contest. The fact that he was ruled out so early in the week isn’t a great sign.
We did get some good news on Wednesday, as Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reported that Kupp is now out of his cast, and he was working with the strength and conditioning staff to the side of the Rams’ walkthrough.
Also, it’s good news that the Rams didn’t put Kupp on injured reserve (IR), as it suggests they think he’ll miss fewer than four games. Initially, McVay said that Kupp would be out “an extended period of time” and that he was a candidate for the IR list, but then the team ultimately decided against placing him on IR.
Given their decision to leave him off the IR list, our best guess is that Kupp is targeting a Week 7 return when the Rams face the Las Vegas Raiders. After all, Los Angeles’ bye week is in Week 6, so Kupp would be back after sitting out three games.
For Kupp, this is the latest in a long list of previous lower-body injuries he’s endured.
He began the 2023 season by missing the first four games with a hamstring injury. Kupp missed much of 2022 after sustaining an ankle ailment against the Cardinals in November and inside SoFi Stadium.
Even during his breakout 2021 season that saw him lead the NFL in all three major receiving categories, Kupp operated with a knee bruise that occurred in the Rams’ playoff win over the Cardinals. He managed to play through it and went on to earn Super Bowl LVI Most Valuable Player honors while catching the game-sealing touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals.
But his most significant injury occurred in 2018, when he suffered an ACL tear on Nov. 11. Kupp never got the chance to return as the Rams clinched the NFC title that season.
Who’s Starting in Kupp’s Absence?
With both Puka Nacua and Kupp sidelined, the Rams will be relying on Demarcus Robinson, Tyler Johnson, and Tutu Atwell as their starting wide receivers. Here’s a breakdown of each wideout’s fantasy outlook entering Week 4.
Demarcus Robinson’s Fantasy Outlook
Robinson has seemingly distanced himself from the pack in Los Angeles, as he logged a 90% snap share in consecutive weeks. Of course, the value of that role is in question with Matthew Stafford determined to spread the ball around to keep defenses guessing.
If I had to take a chance on a receiver in this offense, it would be Robinson, but it’s simply a bet on playing time. I don’t have any confidence in this passing game in any matchup right now, let alone EPA’s third-best defense since the midway point of last season.
Tyler Johnson and Tutu Atwell’s Fantasy Outlook
Atwell made the big play last week (50-yard gain) and has seven catches over the past two weeks after being a no-show in the season opener when this roster was near full strength; meanwhile, Johnson has a pair of end-zone looks and has more receptions (10) than Atwell has targets (nine) this season.
If you’re playing in an ultra-deep league, I want the more physically gifted Johnson (four-inch height edge).
However, this game profiles as a Kyren Williams special. If that’s the case, it’s very possible that this offense doesn’t produce a top-35 receiver this weekend.
Kyren Williams’ Fantasy Outlook
Williams doesn’t have a touch gaining more than 15 yards this season. Yet, thanks to volume and a nose for the end zone, he’s been a top-20 running back all three weeks.
The Bears defense is one of the best in the league and could limit Williams’ efficiency, but that hasn’t been a problem for him up to this point. I’m more encouraged by his icing of Blake Corum with 21 touches per game than I am worried about his 3.0 yards per carry average.
Williams is a low-end RB1 for me in a game that I expect to be competitive, thus fueling another impressive touch count for Los Angeles’ RB1.
What Does This Mean for Matthew Stafford?
Stafford’s fantasy impact takes a hit with Nacua and Kupp sidelined, as they are by far his two most dangerous weapons. While Robinson, Johnson, and Atwell have done a solid job filling in for the Rams’ star tandem, it’s hard to replicate their production.
As for Stafford’s production, he is making the most of what he has (as usual). Given the players at his disposal right now, that’s not enough to make it matter for us, but his experience gives the pieces tied to him a chance. This season, on balls thrown less than 10 yards, Stafford is averaging 6.1 yards per attempt, his highest rate since 2015.
The day will come in which I create a stat that embodies grit, know-how, and discipline — it’ll be named after Stafford. He’s not putting up big numbers and is deserving of being off fantasy radars, but if a coin flip goes differently, he could have this battered Rams team at 2-1 with wins over the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions.
I’ll never get sick of watching Stafford, even if my fantasy team doesn’t benefit in any way.